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Community Partnership for Youth Housing. Background Shelton School District has the 9 th highest student homeless count of all Districts in WA. 8% of students qualified as homeless in 2009-10 Mason County has no youth shelter or student/youth transitional housing.
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Community Partnership for Youth Housing Background Shelton School District has the 9th highest student homeless count of all Districts in WA. 8% of students qualified as homeless in 2009-10 Mason County has no youth shelter or student/youth transitional housing. Mason County has many gaps in services for underserved youth.
Community Colaboration Presenting the issues to: Community Service groups (eg Rotary) Faith Based Community Child Welfare Local Legislators Continuum of Care School District Staff/Admin Recruiting student advocates (Mocking Bird Youth N Action
Creating a Youth Sub-Committee The Mason County Youth Housing Committee Recruiting stakeholders in Youth Housing Recruiting youth advocates Educating the group on existing models
Picking a Model • Host Homes: Long-term housing with a family with the support of a counselor/coach and additional services, sometimes including a modest stipend to offset some of the costs incurred for food and utilities. Generally, the youth has a preexisting relationship with the family. • Group Homes: Long-term housing with a group of unaccompanied youth who live together in a home dedicated to that purpose, usually with an adult providing supervision and counseling/coaching. • Independent Living: Long-term housing in scattered-site apartments where youth live independently, with the rent subsidized or paid by the sponsoring program, and usually with counseling/coaching. • Emergency Shelter: Short-term, emergency housing in a shelter designed for youth under age 18 or in a separate, youth-oriented wing of an adult shelter. High School + Housing = Success Patricia Julianelle NAEHCY Legal Counsel November, 2009
Pick a Service provider, and partners Look for an organization that already serves youth Liability insurance, licensing?? Fiscal Management?? Staffing?? Partner with agencies….eg… School District ESD Rotary
Resources. Housing + High School = Success Schools and Communities Uniting to House Unaccompanied Youth Patricia Julianelle NAEHCY Legal Counsel November, 2009 www.naehcy.org
Housing Options for Students in Transition (HOST): We’ll Get it Done. A Proposal for the Shelton Skookum Rotary Club We’ll make it fun.
The Problem: We’ll Get it Done. Last year, the Shelton School District tracked 333 homeless children and youth living in tents, cars, substandard housing, and/or doubling up with non-parent families.
The Opportunity: We’ll Get it Done. Collaborate to create a program serving homeless young adults 18-21 via a Rotary District 5020/Gates Foundation for the Homeless Partnership Matching Grant + Other Funding Sources
The Dilemma: We’ll Get it Done. Unite the partners , create a framework for the program, and submit a grant application in 5 weeks
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Formalize the Collaborative Partnerships • Shelton Skookum Rotary (and Foundation) • Shelton School District • YES** (associated with SOCK) • Educational Service District 113 • Mason County Social Services • “Other”
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Create the Framework for the Program • “Rapid housing” for ages 18-21 modeled in a Rotary Exchange Program • Support system for Students & Host Families • Commitment to complete diploma or GED • Education to end the cycle of homelessness and increase economic independence • Safety & mutual respect required
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Initial Assessment of Risk & Liability • Informal/cursory review by a great legal mind • Authoritative review by Rotary International Risk Management Team • Recommendations by Insurance Counsel • TO DO: Strengthen “hold harmless” language
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Create the Program Requirements / Students • Students must agree to background checks & school records release • Students must sign Host Student/Host Family Cooperative Agreement • Students must remain enrolled in school & complete all required education and advisory components • Students will work with social services to obtain food assistance, health coverage, and “other”
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Create the Program Requirements / Families • Families must agree to background checks & home visit • Families must participate in orientation • Families must sign Host Student/Host Family Cooperative Agreement • Families must maintain homeowners + liability insurance
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. • “YES” will serve as program administrator • Must provide application, screening, support, and mediation services for Students & Families • Must serve as a centralized location for information on services for homeless students • Must work collaboratively with all partners • Must maintain liability coverage • Must follow-through with all Skookum fiscal management and reporting requirements Create the Program Requirements / Admin
Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Develop a Realistic & Proactive Budget • $30,000 Secured / TO DO: Distribution Plan • Program Administrator Secured • Modest compensation for families Included • Safety & security for all **Developing** • Education to end the cycle of homelessness and increase economic independence Included
CAN THIS REALLY WORK? We’ll Get it Done. “If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one.” -- Mother Theresa • Conservatively scaled (Serve 14 in First Year) • Support for Students & Families built in • Safety & academic success are the top priorities
TEST CASE We’ll Get it Done. “Don’t ask others to do anything you aren’t willing to do yourself.” -- Mother Rhonda • Mutually rewarding • Relief, warmth, joy, satisfaction, fun, etc., etc. • No guarantees: we’re dealing with people
Thank you! We’ll Get it Done. Kathy Haigh Jerry Obendorf Paul Everett Vince Himlie Rich Adamson Hauke Hansen Nancy Kissner l Denis Leverich Skookum Board
Contact: We’ll Get it Done. Rhonda Stone RSStone74@aol.com 360.486.4483 We’ll make it fun.